Rubber keys fob business and office



Feb. 7, 1956 P. P. WESSON RUBBER KEYS FOR BUSINESS AND OFFICE MACHINESSUCH AS TYPEWRITERS Filed Aug. 19, 1952 Paul P Wesson IN V EN TOR.

United States RUBBER KEYS FOR BUSINESS AND @FFICE MACHINES SUCH ASTYPEWRITERS Paul P. Wesson, East Grange, N. .1. Application August 19,1952, Serial No. 3053M 9 Claims. (Cl. 197-103) deadening the operationof the machine.

I am Well aware that heretofore it has been proposed to use protectingcaps for the keys of typewriters and the like. For the most part theyare either constructed of metallic parts, including tempered springsteel springs, or the rubber element is held in place by means of metalcollars, etc. The latter soon loosen in their grip upon the keys andpermit the cap portions to loosen to the point where they become looseor detached from the keys. Also, it has been proposed to use charactersupon such caps, but for the most part they are exposed and subject tofrictionand wear with the result that sometimes they becomeindistinguishable. These disadvantages result in loss of operatorefficiency in performing the required work with the machine, untilnecessary repairs or replacements have been made. To obviate thesedefects 1 propose to provide aflexible and resilient cap for the keys oftypewriters and the like, which is free of metallic parts, and in whichthe character is protected to the extent that the fingers of theoperator do not come in contact therewith. Furthermore, the improvedprotecting cap has an extremely resilient padarrangement for increasingthe shock absorbing characteristics thereof.

A further object of" this invention is the provision of an improvedshock absorbing and protecting cap for typewriter keys and the like.

A further objectof this invention is the provision of an improvedprotector cap fortypewriter keys and the like which is relativelyeconomical to construct; requires practically no maintenance, and onewhich eifectively maintains its proper position upon the typewriter keyunder hard usage.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, andwherein similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken thru the irnproved protectingcap, showing the same applied to a typewriter key.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken thru the piece casing portion ofthe improved cap.

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse cross sectional Views taken substantiallyon the respective lines 3-3 and 44 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the sponge rubber cushion used as a partof the key cap construction.

atent Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views of difierent shapes the protectorcapmay assume in order to suit different shaped keys of machines.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generallydesignate the improved cap construction. It is adapted for use upon akey B as shown as well as keys of other shapes. The assemblage Apreferably includes a one-piece casing over the key B; a characterbearing disc D, and a shock absorbing pad E.

The casing structure C is preferably integrally formed of one piece ofmaterial. It may be of rubber, natural or synthetic, or any of theplastics which can be formed as flexible, resilient, and durable. Itincludes a top wall structure Ill, an annular or cylindrical shaped sidewall 11 and a lower gripping sleeve portion 12. The chamber formed bythe Walls 10, 11 and 12 is sub-divided into an upper compartment 13 anda lower compartment 14 by means of a wedging and retaining flange 15.The'latter annularly extends into the chamber. It normally has a lowerhorizontal surface 16, paralleling the lower portion of the grippingsleeve, when in its state of repose and not applied to the key. Theupper surface 17 of the flange 15 flares convergently downward to anopening 20. The flange 15 has an edge adapted to lie in closeflushcontact With the top surface of the head 10 of the key when appliedthereto. The sleeve portion 12,has a reduced central opening 25 therein.It is preferably slightly thicker at its gripping portion than the walls10 and 11, because it must be considerably distended when applied to thekey head 10*. Its inner surface is roughened at 26 for effectivelygripping the under or side Walls of the key head. The annular side wall11 of the casing structure C is provided with minute air vents 30therethrough, between the flange 15 and the wall 10, to permit thecasing and porous sponge rubber pad E to have a breather action underoperation.

The disc or wafer D conforms to the shape of the typewriter key. It ispreferably of flexible resilient rubber or plastic material and has thecharacter 35 designated upon the top surface thereof; preferably incolored contrast, sufiiciently distinct to be instantly visible. Thisdisc D may be convexly rounded 31 118 101) edge, as shown in Fig. 1, toconform to the convex juncture 36 of the walls 119 and 11 of the casingC. The shock absorbing pad E preferably consists of a cylindrical discof sponge rubber, or some other equally resilient and flexible shockabsorbing and sound deadening material. Its shape is generally thatshown in the side elevation of Fig. 5; being of uniform thicknessthroughout and under slight compression when applied in the compartment13 of the casing C.

Application of the device A upon the typewriter he will be apparent fromthe drawing. The character bearing disc is first slipped through theopenings 25 and 21 into the compartment 13 beneath the wall 151, andthere after the sponge rubber cushion E is likewise slipped through saidopenings and wedged into the compartment 13 above the flange 15. Thesleeve portion 12 is then distended and slipped over the head 10 of thetypewriter key B; the roughened surfaces 26 gripping the under or sidesurfaces of the key head 10 and the top surfacing of the key restingimmediately beneath and in Contact With the lower surfacing 16 of theretaining flange 15 and the undersurfacing of the cushion E.

It is within the scope of this invention to provide protecting pads andcaps shaped other than circular, for instance, the shape designated at Ain Fig. 6 or the rectangular shape designated at A in Fig. 7. The casingwall lil is clearly transparent, in order that the character 35 willbeclearly visible therethrough. In fact, the entire'casing structure Cmay be transparent, but if desired 3 the wall itself may only betransparent and the other structure of the casing translucent or opaque.It should be clearly understood that the casing structure C is flexibleand resilient, as is also the character bearing disc D.

However, the shock absorbing pad is much more flexible, pliable andresilient, .the comparison being that of ordinary resilient rubber andsponge rubber as it is known in the art. 7

It will readily be apparent that the operators fingers will not come incontact with any metal or projecting parts. Even. the edging at the topof the cap is rounded. The breather action of the cap enables the spongerubber pad to respond readily, and thus reduce l finger shock andfatigue. The cap will .not permit a clickingaction to take place betweenthe same and the fingernails of the operator.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be madeto the forin of invention herein shown and described, withoutdepartingfrom the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture a fatigue resisting, shock absorbing andsound deadening cap for keys of typewriters and the like comprising aflexible casing structure having a chamber therein and a flexibletransparent top wall, a yieldable character bearing disc disposed in thechamber immediately beneath the transparent top wall and with thecharacter immediately facing and visible through said top wall, a shockabsorbing pad in the chamber beneathsaid disc, and means to connect thecasing structure upon the key of a typewriter so that the pad contactsthe top of the key.

2. A typewriter key cap as described in claim 1 wherein the casing isprovided with vent openings to the chamber thereof to give the same abreather action under impact by the operators fingers.

3. A key cap of the class described comprising a flexible and resilientcasing structure having a chamber therein and including a flexible topwall, side walls, and a lower flexible and resilient gripping sleeve,said casing structure above the gripping sleeve havinga flange extendinginto the chamber spaced from the top wall, and yieldable pad means insaid chamber between the top wall and flange, the latter having atapered slope which the pad engages in order to. compress the outerportion of the pad between the flange and the top wall when the pad islocated in said chamber.

4. A cap as defined in claim 3 wherein the casing side walls above saidflange are provided with vent openings to give a breather action to thecap under impact by the operators fingers. t

5. As an article of manufacture a completely flexible casing structurefor the keys of typewriters comprising a one piece flexible resilientcasing having a flexible top wall, flexible side walls, and alowerflexible clamping sleevehaving a plurality of saw tooth likeserrations upon its inner surfacing for the purpose of gripping atypewriter diately adjacent to said pad havingtransverse vent openingstherethrough to permit ofa breather action in the chamber of said casingand within the porous sponge rubber pad.

7. In a fatigue resisting and sound deadening protective cap for thekeys era typewriter the combination of a flexible and resilient casingstructure including a flexible top wall, flexible side walls arrangednormal to the plane of the flexible top wall, and a key attaching bottomwall having an opening thereiiffor receiving therethrough the key of atypewriter, said casing structure having a chamber therein adapted t'ofreceive in the lower part thereof the key of atypewr er', the'u'pperportion-of said chamber above the typewriter keyrece iving portionhaving transverse dimensions equally as great as the top dimensions ofthe key portion received in thecasing, and a resilient shock absorbingpad in the upper portion of said chamber below said'flexible top wall ofa size to completely cover the top of the key structure received in thelower part of said chamber.

8. i A device as described iii-claim 7 wherein the flexible top wall ofsaid casingstruture is transparent, and a resilient rubber character beain disc fills said chamber between said shock absorbin'g pad and saidtop wall.

9. As an article of manufacture a completely flexible casing structurefor the keys of ty ewriters comprising a one piece flexible resilienteasinghavin'g a flexible top wall, flexible side walls, and a lowerflexible clamping sleeve having a plurality of sawtooth like serrationsupon its inner surfacing for the purpose of gripping a typewriter key toprevent relative movement of the sleeve upon said key, a retainingflange provided internally of the casing above 'said sleeve and spacedfrom the top wall, and a compressed shock absorbing pad held betweensaid top wall and said flange. 7

References Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED "STATES PATENTS552,311 Wolhaupter et a1. Dec. 31, 1895 641,635 Boynton Jan. 16, 1900971,221 Shepard Sept; 27, 1910 1,087,650 Fox Feb. 17, 1914 1,160,560Anderson Nov. 16, 1915 2,181,955 Ward Dec. 5, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS I345,109 GreatBritain' "Mar.- 19, 1931 369,303 'Great Britaiu 'Mar. 24,,1932

